“For you Tommy the War is over” the chilling words heard at gunpoint by a young Welsh Guardsman a few months after World War II broke out in 1940.

Thus began one of the most remarkable stories of the war. John Elwyn Jones from Dolgellau not only attempted to escape five times from prisoner of war camps in France, Germany and Poland but he also met and “married” a young Polish woman.

His wartime experiences are the basis of Theatr Bara Caws’ latest production, Pum Cynnig i Gymro, which opened this week appropriately in Dolgellau.

Meilir Rhys Williams (left) and Dyfan Roberts in Pum Cynnig i Gymro

Equally appropriately the play has been adapted from Jones’ book of the same name by Dyfan Roberts who grew up in Dolgellau and who knew many of the characters mentioned in the book.

The play is set in John Elwyn Jones living room. We see him as an old man who has gathered together a number of acquaintances (audience) to witness what he has to say.

He says he will be escaping again very soon, taking nobody and nothing with him.

People, he says, have always been a disappointment. Once upon a time he was a hero, the centre of attention in the town but those days are long gone.

His only wish is to escape, like he did for the first time when he was seven years old. He’s been trapped in a number of situations since then and, like a true soldier, has always chosen the honourable path - to fight and never concede.

Meilir Rhys Williams (left) and Dyfan Roberts in Pum Cynnig i Gymro

Dyfan Roberts plays Jones as an old man. But this is not a one man show. Meilir Rhys Williams plays Jones as a younger man and the two actors portray the events as they unfold in speech and in action.

The most poignant passages are when Jones recalls the women in his life - his mother, who left the family when he was just eight years old; Joan from Colchester who bore him children and a piano teacher.

He has always wanted to escape, unable to settle with anybody except for one.

While forced to work building a new suburb in Poland he meets Celinka and falls head over heels in love. Jones “escapes” from the camp to meet her at a half finished house. The descriptive passages as how they decided to get married, prepared the ceremony and feasted afterwards are perhaps the highlight of the production.

When Celinka is taken to hospital and Jones is told she has passed away the audience is told “something died in him the same day.

There is a twist in the story which is told out of sequence with the other escape attempts. After the book is published a film version is made and later shown on Polish TV. A man writes to the producers revealing Celinka had not died but had recovered and had mentioned the marriage to a young soldier in the war.

As John Elwyn Jones Dyfan Roberts turns in a sensational performance which earned him, and Meilir Rhys, a deserved standing ovation from the audience at Theatr Fach Dolgellau.

Despite the horrors of war and the downbeat nature of the introduction this is not a depressing story but an uplifting and inspiring play.

The set has been effectively designed by Emyr Morris-Jones and the direction by Theatr Bara Caws’ Artistic Director Betsan Llwyd is tight and economical. The influence of choreographer Sarah Mumford is clear and the movements of the two actors across what was a very small stage at Theatr Fach Dolgellau prevent the play from stagnating.

Theatr Bara Caws are touring with the play across North Wales until April 11. More details about performances at the Theatr Bara Caws website